Hughes and ThinKom Demonstrate New Tactical Communications Solutions

New Solutions Offer Advanced on-the-Move Capabilities for the Defense Sector

GERMANTOWN, Md., Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite solutions and services, and a leading provider of managed network and application services, and ThinKom Solutions, Inc. (ThinKom), today announced the demonstration of ultra-low profile antennas and a manpack for global communications-on-the-move (COTM) missions. The ThinKom products include the ultra-low-profile Ku-band COTM antenna (ThinSAT® 300), the ultra-portable Manpack Ka-band antenna (ThinPACK® KKA100) and the low-profile airborne Ka-band antenna (ThinAIR® KA1000). The joint demonstration confirmed interoperability of ThinKom COTM antennas with the Hughes HX System, including its high-performance IP satellite routers with enhanced security features, operationally proven for high quality and highly-secure communications for defense customers worldwide.

"Combining our HX System with ThinKom's ultra-low-profile antennas brings government and military customers new advances in tactical communications for airborne, sea and land," said Rick Lober, vice president and general manager of the Defense and Intelligence Systems Division, Hughes. "This capability comes at a crucial juncture when our nation requires affordable solutions to share an ever-increasing amount of real-time intelligence and battlefield information at all echelons of command."

"We are pleased ThinKom was able to integrate Hughes satellite technology with our ultra-low-profile antennas," said Mark Silk, CEO of Thinkom, "Our new antennas offer next-generation technological capabilities and their small profiles make them harder to identify, creating a safer environment for our military users."

The ThinSAT® 300, originally developed for high-data rate OTM enterprise applications, enables an integrated, on-the-move satellite antenna terminal in an ultra-low-profile (4.5-inch-high), 59-inch-long enclosure. Based on the Variable Inclined Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) phased array technology, ThinKom's COTM antenna offers increased aperture efficiency and enhanced control of radiated power spectral density while remaining compliant with FCC and ITU requirements. ThinKom's ThinPACK® KKA100 manportable antenna is based on its Continuous Transverse Stub (CTS) phased array antenna technology and enjoys the same benefits as the VICTS technology in terms of aperture efficiency and radiated power spectral density, while remaining compliant with MIL-STD-188-164A and ETSI EN 301 358. The ThinAIR® KA1000 low-profile airborne antenna has been flight tested and proven to provide 7 Mbps uplink data rates and 4.5 Mbps downlink data rates while in-flight on the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) System. Other benefits include: worldwide commercial and government Ka-band connectivity, as well as high data rates and high-power spectral densities.